Order of the Red Dragon
The Order of the Red Dragon was a guild of knights sworn allegience to the baron of Evesham. It was disbanded after the Citadel was successfully besieged and the baron, Sir Conall the Courageous, slain along with twenty of his most trusted knights - leaving few remaining after the carnage of the battle. Ewain Ó Ciardha is known to be a member of this once-proud Order. Relics from their guild have survived and appeared in unlikely places: a shield bearing the dragon emblem was found in the Ashfrost Glacier while preventing a volcanic eruption, and Ewain's warhorse was sent by an unknown knight and carried with it a signet ring of the Order. Roster List Some of the knights and their squires can be found below: * Sir Conall the Courageous * Captain Dominic O' Sedna * Ser Eidhé Môr * Ser Aoife mac Donnchaidh * Ser Gavin O' Sullivan * Sir Athyn Brinson * Sir Ewain Ó Ciardha * Sir Cecil mac Dubhoile * Boyd mac Farlane, squire to Sir Gavin O' Sullivan * Cailaen Domnaihl, squire to Sir Athyn Brinson Code of the Order Below is the full code to which all knights of the Order swear to uphold. Honour and Justice * A knight must maintain a good standing within the community. Committing a deed which causes disgrace or exile is considered a breach of the Code. * A knight may lie only when there is no alternative option and moral guidance is sought. A knight may not conceal his identity from his enemies, or the Code is broken. * A knight must obey the local laws at all times. He may only break them when there is no alternative and only after seeking guidance, for all laws should be respected no matter the nature of the law. A knight must also respect those in positions of authority regardless of their nature. * The only torture that is permitted by a knight of the Order is guilt of the conscience alone. A foe may be questioned through intimidation but the actual use of physical or mental pain or manipulation is strictly forbidden. * A knight must keep to any formal oath to which he swears, for failure to uphold an oath is failure to uphold the Code. The Field of Battle * Death is a part of life: it is regrettable, but acceptable only when necessary. A knight may fight in self-defence and in the defence of others; he may also fight when commanded by a higher authority and destroy those he deems deserving. * The knight must obey the rules of engagement. He must present himself to the enemy, challenge them openly on the field of battle where possible, engage in direct combat, allow the dead and injured to be retrieved from the field, and refrain from attacking wounded or downed combatants. Failure to follow the rules of engagement is a breach of the Code. * The knight is duty-bound to accept any challenge to single combat from all foes worthy of respect. He should also issue such a challenge before fighting them, however the lack of a challenge issued is not a breach in the Code. * The knight is expected to be the first into battle and the last to leave. He may not show cowardice in the face of danger, but may retreat when severely injured or in grave danger. * Prisoners are sacred to the knight - he may not kill any of those that have surrendered to him and must treat them humanely. * The knight may only parlay and deal with evil creatures on a limited basis. He may only ally with them if there is no other way to accomplish his mission and all alternatives have been exhausted. Even then, the alliance must directly and immediately benefit the cause of good. Noblesse Obligé * The knight must give aid to all that request it, so long as they are not evil. * The knight should take steps to heal any non-evil injured person/creature that he encounters. He should also offer a portion of his income to charities. * The knight must always respond to immediate dangers to the common folk. The danger must be clear - if he fails to respond, it is a breach of the Code. Chivalry and Feudalism * The knight must obey commands given by the King or other members of the royal family and their liege lords as if they were divine commands. * The knight must pay either 5% annual income to the liege lord of which they reside, or pay through service. Companions and Followers * The knight may not count amongst his companions any evil creature, although he may associate with thieves, barbarians and others of questionable character if required. * The knight should guide his companions on the path of righteousness, but their stumbles and failures are not reflected upon him. Trivia * The Order of the Red Dragon takes its' name from the Welsh dragon; similarly, characters take their names from Gaelic and Celtic origins. See also Category:Lore